On the BBC website today he's saying he's a Brit who just happened to be born in Canada.

He's never lived in Britain...

WRT the thread question: it does seem to forget that there are a fair amount of other nations who also do top training work, coachwork etc., so I don't think there's anything specifically English about being poor. In cricket there are five nations with the significant talent pool and setup to be the best in the world at present. In union there's about seven. In league there's two, but England's participation is limited to two counties with combined population about 7 million. In football there's seven (+ all the countries with small footballing populations but good setups, see Netherlands, Croatia, Sweden, etc.).

You can only reasonably expect to be midway up the table when competition among these nations is so fierce. (It's the reason Norway have found a bunch of sports nobody else cares about, such as women's handball, speed skating and curling, to be any good at.)

Last edited by Samuel_Vimes; 18-12-2006 at 03:23 AM.

A follower of the schools of Machiavelli, Bentham, Locke, Hobbes, Sutcliffe, Bradman, Lindwall, Miller, Hassett and Benaud
Member of ESAS, JMAS, DMAS, FRAS and RTDAS

It's a good job the Mighty Whites are flying high. In sport I care for the whites first, the England Cricket team second and then the England football team. Pretty dismal at the minute, I think to be serious, the BBC's awards bash last week highlighted how poor things are at the moment. It's swings and roundabouts though, I mean this time next year we'll be arguing over whether it's the WC-winning Cricketers or Rugby players who deserved team of the year at the damn thing....

There wasn't enough of criticism after SL drew the series with England. That was pitiful really, after England went 1-0 up they acted as if it was only a matter of time before they won the series.

That was all forgotten however the minute they beat Pakistan (good win no doubt) and the Ashes were near. Conveniently forgetting that England have only won 5 tests since the Ashes (4 if you don't count the Pakistan forfeit). Not impressive at all.

Cannot comment on the other sports, but IMO England were far too happy to pat themselves on the back and forget about the jobs (plural, not just the next Ashes but the Pakistan and India tour etc.) ahead.

"I am very happy and it will allow me to have lot more rice."

Eoin Morgan on being given a rice cooker for being Man of the Match in a Dhaka Premier Division game.

There wasn't enough of criticism after SL drew the series with England. That was pitiful really, after England went 1-0 up they acted as if it was only a matter of time before they won the series.

That was all forgotten however the minute they beat Pakistan (good win no doubt) and the Ashes were near. Conveniently forgetting that England have only won 5 tests since the Ashes (4 if you don't count the Pakistan forfeit). Not impressive at all.

Cannot comment on the other sports, but IMO England were far too happy to pat themselves on the back and forget about the jobs (plural, not just the next Ashes but the Pakistan and India tour etc.) ahead.

It's not just Cricket, it happens in everything. In sport, to stand still is to go backwards, but noone ever says that to our successful teams.

WRT to Vimes's point about countries with small footballing populations but good setups; it's a fair enough shout, but it does pre-suppose ours is inferior! Why is ours inferior? It's surely not a given? Moreover, countries with similar populations to us (Italy, France) have enjoyed far more success on the world stage.

There's very few countries that compete to a high standard in all of the sports we are doing rubbish in currently.

Australia are the closest (as ever) but I wouldn't class their footy team quite there yet but definitely getting there.

A True Champion - Bob. Rest in peace. 15/04/06"People today have too big a devil and too small a God"
- Stephen Currie"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

Peter Roebuck will tell you it's because of the closure of the mines, the rejection of stoicism in public schools (as if all English sportsmen either worked in a colliery or were privately educated before 1980), and that as a result we're obsessed, and I quote "with pork pies and clever dicks", the whole nation now largely consists of ignorant, racist, xenophobic, drunken louts, and what sporting culture we have is obsessed with the individual rather than the team.

Peter Roebuck will tell you it's because of the closure of the mines, the rejection of stoicism in public schools (as if all English sportsmen either worked in a colliery or were privately educated before 1980), and that as a result we're obsessed, and I quote "with pork pies and clever dicks", the whole nation now largely consists of ignorant, racist, xenophobic, drunken louts, and what sporting culture we have is obsessed with the individual rather than the team.

You have just either called yourself one of many ignorant people you were describing in your post, or contradicted yourself greatly.

Originally Posted by Top_Cat

1) Had double pneumonia as a kid, as did my twin sis. Doctors told my parents to pray that we lived through the night. Dad said **** off, I'm an atheist, you ****s better save my kids, etc. Then prayed anyway.

There's very few countries that compete to a high standard in all of the sports we are doing rubbish in currently.

Australia are the closest (as ever) but I wouldn't class their footy team quite there yet but definitely getting there.

Fair point....

....but.....

Oz are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay ahead in League & Cricket, shading us in Union (although they aren't that flash just now either really), we're still ahead slightly in the football & Oz still manage to have their own football code, everyone's favorite Victorian oxymoron, Aussie Rules.